Pressure as care for premature babies in neonatal units is understaffed
- Oct 21, 2015
- EmmaArnold
Neonatal units in England are under-staffed according to new report by charity, meaning reduced care for premature babies.
Bliss, the charity for ill and premature babies, found that 64%of neonatal units do not have enough nurses and have called for urgent action to provide resources.
The charity's Bliss Baby Report also found that 70% of intensive care units were overstretched which could jeopardise the safety of the babies.
A plan for how neonatal services should be organised was set out by the government in 2009. However, six years on, Bliss says nothing has changed.
Due to a severe lack of funding, Bliss says two thirds of neonatal units do not have enough doctors and nurses.
This staffing issue could result in clinical negligence and birth injuries as mistakes are potentially more likely to be made.
Hannah Bottomley, Assistant Solicitor in the clinical negligence department at PotterReesDolan, said:
This recent report made for some troubling reading for any parent of a newborn who may require care following their birth in one of any number of the UK’s neonatal units. Bliss estimates that in fact one in every nine babies born requires some sort of support but unfortunately demand is outweighing supply and there are concerns about under-staffing of these units. Here at PotterReesDolan we are always concerned whenever a professional body or charity finds under-staffing across a range of services as it is those times when there are not enough staff to physically manage patients when mistakes can be made.
This sentiment has been echoed recently by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The charity's statistics are really very worrying as those babies who need care in the neonatal units are often more vulnerable and the lack of proper care can have devastating consequences.
I hope that this report, along with the other recent concerns raised, does lead to further action being taken to ensure the safety of the neonatal units and enable those in need of care to receive it in a timely and effective manner.
The increase in fertility rates and in survival rates for very premature babies is thought to be why the demand for neonatal care is rising.
This is supported by the Royal College of Midwives which says it has seen an increase in more complicated deliveries and complex pregnancies.